• Kosovo: Three new cases of coronavirus, one recovery, one death (media)
• Ministry of Health announces new measures to contain pandemic (media)
• Kosovo Acting PM Kurti’s interview to RTV21
• Kurti: Alliance with US very deep; elections after the pandemic (RFE)
• President dismisses Kurti’s “negotiation team” (Prishtina Insight)
• “Kurti will play his constitutional role until new PM is elected” (Kosovapress)
• Assembly Presidency to decide on PDK-proposed emergency financial package (media)
• Surroi: Forming new gov’t without LVV consent is unconstitutional (Klan)
• AAK would support LDK in forming new govt (media)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Kosovo: Three new cases of coronavirus, one recovery, one death (media)

Kosovo’s National Institute for Public Health said that three new cases of coronavirus infections have been confirmed in Kosovo in the last 24 hours. The new infections are cases of contact, the Institute confirmed.

It also said that one patient has recovered from COVID-19 on 9 April, raising the number of recovered persons to 38.

At the same time, the Ministry of Health said that a male patient from Gjilan, diagnosed with COVID-19, has died yesterday. “The patient admitted to the Infectious Diseases Clinic on 31.03.2020 was in serious condition and had other concomitant diseases,” the Ministry said.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Kosovo is at present 236.

Ministry of Health announces new measures to contain pandemic (media)

The Ministry of Health announced that it was introducing in coordination with municipalities measures in order to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.

The new movement restrictions in place will affect the hardest-hit municipalities: Malisheva, Mitrovica North, and Zvecan.

The Ministry said that additional measures will be imposed in other municipalities in the coming days, depending on the epidemiological situation.

Kosovo Acting PM Kurti’s interview to RTV21

Kosovo acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in an interview to RTV21 on Thursday that support for his party – the Vetevendosje Movement – has doubled since last year’s parliamentary elections in October.

Kurti said for the time being he cannot say who would be their partner in a future coalition.

“I have to say that since October 6, support for Vetevendosje has doubled. Vetevendosje is stronger than ever before after the LDK’s no-confidence motion. After the motion it is impossible to say that they could be partners in a future coalition. The doubling of the support has made us think that we can strengthen the government with additional MPs but not with parties,” he said.

Kurti said it is absurd how the other parties together with President Thaci are trying to form a new government without going to elections.

Kurti argued that Thaci rushed with asking Vetevendosje to propose the name of a new candidate for Prime Minister. “We won’t leave the President without an answer, but we will not rush it either. Our priority is the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. The best solution is to come together in this fight and then once it is over to go to early elections. It is regrettable that the President has announced a plan for a new government, by inviting the leaders on the same day; this is a violation of the Constitution”.

Several news websites note in their coverage of the interview that Kurti has not ruled out a coalition with the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK). Kurti said: “Conditions are being created for a democracy in which the credibility of people is becoming more important than the name of the party they come from. For now I would not take it as far as Glauk did [Vetevendosje deputy leader Glauk Konjufca] but it is too early to say now. This time we won’t say we can form a coalition only with a certain political party as has happened in the past. I am very optimistic with the doubling of the support for the Vetevendosje Movement.”

Kurti: Alliance with US very deep; elections after the pandemic (RFE)

Kosovo acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in an interview with Radio Free Europe that he will not immediately reply to President Hashim Thaci’s request to send the name of a new candidate for Prime Minister. Kurti said his government is now very busy with fighting the coronavirus pandemic. He argued that immediately after the pandemic, Kosovo must go to new parliamentary elections.

Kurti also said that the alliance and partnership between the Republic of Kosovo and the United States of America is inseparable and that it does not depend on the governments, prime ministers or presidents.

President dismisses Kurti’s “negotiation team” (Prishtina Insight)

The Office of the President has repudiated plans outlined by acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti to form a negotiation team to represent Kosovo in the EU-facilitated dialogue with Serbia that would be led by Kurti and feature the president.

A ‘negotiation team’ for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue proposed by acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti in a letter to the EU’s newly appointed envoy for Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, has been derided in a press release from the Office of the President.

In Kurti’s letter, sent on April 3 and published on Wednesday, the acting Prime Minister put himself forward to lead talks with Serbia, and outlined the composition of a negotiation team to represent Kosovo in the dialogue, which would include the president.

Kurti stated that his plan was to lead an “inclusive, gender balanced team,” which would also include the Speaker of Assembly Vjosa Osmani and seven representatives of the parties holding seats in the Kosovo Assembly.

However, in a press release on Thursday, the Office of the President stated that President Thaci was not consulted over the idea, and that as the representative of an outgoing government, Kurti was no longer able to make commitments on behalf of Kosovo’s institutions.

“Since yesterday there have been many questions addressed to the Office of the President regarding the Negotiating Team proclaimed by the dismissed Prime Minister,” the press release stated. “The Office of the President of the Republic of Kosovo clarifies for local and international public opinion that the outgoing Prime Minister has not consulted with the President on foreign policy.”

The statement went on to question whether Kurti was constitutionally capable of informing foreign diplomats of his intentions to lead the dialogue, after his government was dismissed through a motion of no confidence at the Kosovo Assembly last month.

“The Prime Minister was dismissed by the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo and is the outgoing Prime Minister of an outgoing government. He is violating the constitutional hierarchy with this approach,” the response of the Office of the President stated, adding that the proposed negotiation team was “nothing more than a personal wish” of Kurti’s.

“Kurti will play his constitutional role until new PM is elected” (Kosovapress)

Kosovo Government’s spokesperson Perparim Kryeziu commented on President Hashim Thaci’s statement that the acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti has no political legitimacy to lead the dialogue with Serbia.

Kryeziu said Kurti will continue to exercise his constitutional role until a new prime minister is elected.

“For as long as PM Kurti continues to be on duty and in the office, he will act as a prime minister until a new one is elected. These proposals, suggestions and ideas are part of preliminary preparations for the resumption of the dialogue so they will be in the service of it whenever it is ready to resume. The proposals are the ultimate responsibility of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo and we call on all institutions represented in these team to join them along with politival parties so that we achieve a broad political consensus and once and for all be represented in a unified voice on matters of national importance,” Kryeziu said.

Assembly Presidency to decide on PDK-proposed emergency financial package (media)
The Kosovo Assembly Presidency will meet today to decide on an extraordinary session that would vote on the emergency financial package proposed by the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) in the fight against COVID – 19. Because of protective measures against the virus, the meeting will be closed to the media.

Surroi: Forming new gov’t without LVV consent is unconstitutional (Klan)

Publicist Veton Surroi said that any attempt to form a new government without the consent of the most voted party – the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) – would be unconstitutional.

In an interview with Klan Kosova, Surroi said that Kosovo needs to resolve two crises: that of the coronavirus pandemic and the political one: “The wisdom of this country would be to gradually resolve the political crisis during the pandemic crisis.”

Surri also said that the acting government of Kosovo has all competencies to manage the coronavirus pandemic. “It is doing a good job in this and not only departments of one party but the government as a whole is doing a good job, all departments, LDK, Vetevendosje, minorities. Everyone is dealing with this issue seriously.”

AAK would support LDK in forming new govt (media)

Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) deputy leader Muharrem Nitaj took to Facebook on Thursday to say that this party would support the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) if it gets the mandate to form a new government.

“The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo favors the formation of a new government as soon as possible. If the LDK gets the mandate to form a new government, we will support it without hesitation and at the same time we could be part of this government,” Nitaj said.